Mobile phone distribution giant i2 has revealed that its gross sales hit US$2bn in 2007. i2, which has distribution and retail operations across the Middle East and Africa, doubled the number of Nokia handsets it sold year-on-year to 12.3 million in 2007 as gross sales rocketed 43%.
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UAE-based PC assembler Sky Electronics has launched its new Expeditor value PC at Sharaf DG stores. The PCs, which are exclusively available at Sharaf DG stores, are built on Nvidia’s recently unveiled GeForce 7 series motherboard GPUs. Sharaf DG has carved out an impressive reputation as a power retailer in the UAE.
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Positronica, the Russian retail franchising operation launched by IT distribution heavyweight Merlion, posted sales of US$197m in 2007 according to a local report. Positronica has a retail network of more than 160 shops spanning 140 Russian towns and cities offering a combined floor space of more than 25,000 square metres.
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The trophy cabinet is filling up fast at UAE multi-brand retailer Jacky’s Electronics thanks to its mall-based outlets. The company picked up the ‘Best Electronics and Entertainment Store Award’ for its Jacky’s Express outlet at the Mall of the Emirates retailers’ AGM. Jacky’s Electronics also scooped the Deira City Centre mall ‘Best Electronics and Entertainment Store’ award in March.
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MGM.it Store Solutions will look to extend its relationships with major Middle East retailers when it attends this year’s Digital Consumer Channel (DCC) Middle East and Africa (MEA) event. The Italian store design specialist will showcase its complete range of services and products at the event.
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Mobile device outfit i-mate has announced a new Middle East partnership with distribution powerhouse Redington. Under the terms of the channel partnership Redington will increase the availability of i-mate products in stores and enhance resellers and retail support in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
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A sceptic might question the fortuitous timing of a survey from one of the UK’s leading electrical retailers claiming that the latest household technology can help you sell your house quicker and for a lot more cash. However, against a backdrop of an uncertain global economic outlook, depressed consumer confidence and a jittery housing market – in the UK at least – anything that encourages people to splash the cash on high-tech kit is surely good news.
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Eros Digital Home has been appointed as a key distributor retailer (KDR) in the UAE by mobile phone colossus Nokia. The agreement means that Nokia mobile phones and accessories will now be available in all Eros Digital Home outlets across the UAE.
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Retail distribution specialist Trigon has been awarded distribution rights for BenQ LCD TVs in the UAE. BenQ Middle East hopes to boost its LCD TV market share in the UAE and capture 10% of the total available market – a share that would rank it as the fourth placed vendor in the market.
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UAE electronics and IT retail powerhouse Plug-Ins ElectroniX has confirmed that it will open its largest store at the Dubai Mall, which will be one of the largest malls in the world. A recent Indian press report also claimed that Al-Futtaim, the parent company behind Plug-Ins, is in talks to purchase a stake in Jumbo Electronics.
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